Ice making and harvesting apparatus.



E. T. WILLIAMS. ICE MAKING AND HARVESTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

Patented Jan 21,1915

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' E. T. WILLIAMS.

ICE MAKING AND HARVESTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYI, 1910. r

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Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

E. T. WILLIAMS.

' ICE MAKING AND HARVESTING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION TILED JULY 1, 1910.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.;

3 Q W W m z Qwuwwtoz r attoamugr E. T. WILLIAMS.

ICE MAKING AND HARVESTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

@ Patented Jan 21, 1913.

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FRESH WATER SU PPLY FLOAT VALVE GHECK VA LVE.

By PASS 60 6 ill!!! .,I,

WA TER- LINE-- l 5 and State of New York, have invented new .drainageffor the molds and for the tank.

and, a stand pipe or reservoir in communifective arrangement. The object is, to se- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD '1. WILLIAMS, OF. BROOKLYN, NEW YOBK. I

k/ ICE MAKING HABVE STING APPARATUS.

1,051,298. Specification or Iletters'latent- Patented Jan. 21, 1913. Application filed July 1, 1910. Serial No. 589,988. V

To all whom it may concern: to be located outside the tank, renders in- Be it known that I, EDWARDITPWILLIAMS, sulation less important, and is for various a citizen of the United States, and a resi otherreasons desirable. dent of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings My invention also relates to systems of and useful Improvements inIce Making and My lnvention therefore consists in the vHarvesting Apparatus, of which the fol-, subject matter, embodiments of which are lowing is a s eclfication. 1 illustrated and described herein, and in the My invention relates to ice making and matters set forth in the appended claims.

to harvesting apparatus and, though having Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a various d stinctive and broadly novel feaplan view of a part of the system, Fig. 2 is tures of'its own, may be regarded as a dif an elevation and section onthe line 2 -2, -ierent and improved embodiment of the Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, broad invention set forth in my 00- endin Fig. 115 Fig. 4 is a plan of the drainage 70 application, Ser. No. %,943, file Apri s stem' applled, to a deep tank with molds 12, 1910, It will be understood also that the therein. Fig. 5 is an elevation and section auxiliary, thawing and other devices set corresponding to Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a secforth in my co-pending application, Ser. tion on the line 6-6, Fig. 5. No. 566,660, filed'June 13, 1910, mayfor Referringparticularly toFigs. 1, 2 and 3:

20 the most part be employed in thesystem the common water supply consists of a shalabout to be described. Both in the system low tank, tothe top 1 of which the molds illustrated in said application Ser. No. are secured by water tight connections suit- 554,943, and in the present systeni,,,a pluably being bolted thereto. This tanlrhas an rality of molds are employed so locatedwith extension forming a reservoir or stand pipe2 25 reference to a common water supplfip as to in free communication therewith to mainbe automatlcally and immediately lled t0 tain the water level in the molds and to refill the desired level on the removal of an ice them automatically and immediately. The block, and means are provided for freezing standpipe may of course be of any suitable and "thawing the" contents of th mOI' capacity. It is fed by the su ply pipe 3 con 30 Any of the mold constructions or any of the trolled by a float valve 4. 0 promote the modes of connection specified in the .said ready removal of sediment composed of applica lon r ind d any th r Sui l heav impurities thrown out as thet'lwater mold structures or modes'of connection may crysta lizes in freezin I prefer to Ihake be employed in thissystem; The primary the bottom 5 of the tan slant from aninter- 35 difi'erence between the, systems lies in the mediate portion, which may be a center fact that the molds inthe resent system ares li t tte 6 on o it id of it, not submerged or locate within a water Along the intermediate ortion I loca e a tank,- but, while in communication with a flushingwater pipe 7 an in the gutters the common. water supply, are-outside the same suction pipes 8, these being part of a cir- 40 and, while filled with water to the desired culatory system hereinafter described in level, are not surrounded by it, their extewhich the normal return is to the tops of riors being readily accessible, the piping the molds, but which makes possible occa- WlllCllgSQIVitS the molds beingalso outside sional flushing ofwthe tank-bottom. It will the common water supply. The illustrated be.understood-that.l may employ one set of 45' construction whereby this is accomplished said pipes, or several where the sizeiof the comprises a shallow water tank having a tank requlres it, thebottom being sloped closed top on which the molds, open at the accordinglyf The flushing pipe need not top, are located with their interiors in combe on a central line, therefore, though this munication with the tanlf at their bottoms, is the simplest'and ordinarily the most ef-' cation with the tank to keep the water at cure th'eflnshin' of the entire bottom and the desired level in the molds. In abroader the renioval of t e sediment. It will be apsense the entire tank and stand pipe constiparent that the bottom might slope from --tnte a reservoir; This arrangement is the sides inward and downward and that 55 simple and inexpensive, enables the freezthere might be a flushing pipe "at each side ing and thawing pipingv and the air lines and but one suction pipe at the center. To

avoid confusion in the drawings a simplified form of the drainage system of which these pipes are parts is shown in Figs-1, 2 and 3,

certain special delivery. devices to be hereinafter described being also illustrated therein. This system without the devices referred to is completely and clearly illustrated inFigs. 4, 5 and 6 and will be described hereinafter.

The molds are of suitable construction, preferably asillustrated in my said applica tions, having inner walls 9 and outer walls 1O constituting freezing and thawingjackets being closed at the 'top and bottom for this purpose. Auxiliary thawing devices 11 above the freezing zone are indicated.

. These being fully illustrated and described in my aforesaid application, Ser. No. 566,660, need not be particularized here. The molds have bottoms 12 above the lower end of the outer walls having holes 13 surrounded by above the tank between rows of molds, suitable means not shown being employed to.

deliver to them either cold or warm air under pressure as desired. Connecting pipes 17 run from each header 16 to each mold of the adjacent rows "passing through suitable castings riveted and soldered to the molds and therefore water tight into the space between the outer mold wall 10 and the dependin shell 14 I may employ two such connecting pipes for each mold each having a delivery nozzle 18 or a single connecting pipehavingtwo delivery nozzles. The

operatlon is as stated in my said applica-. tions, air under ressure being delivered to the air spaces below the molds and passing thence into the water in the molds to agitate the same.

The connections for delivering freezing and thawing fluid to the molds may be varied, as may also the air supply connections above described. I find it convenient, however, to run the apparatus in sections of two rows of molds each, as man such sections, as desired bein employs and each being served indepen ently of all the rest with freezing or thawin fluid as desired. Of course a s stem of in 'vidual moldcontrol suchlas t at described in my aforesaid application, Ser. No. 554,943 might be used. Outside the tank, in. the space between adjacent rows of molds a're located sup ly headers 19 and return headers 20 for delivering to the mold ackets and returning therefrom cold or warm brine'or other suitable fluid by connecting pi es 21, 22 res ectively between the mold jac ets and sai headers. Similarly located are supply headers23 and return headers 24, for delivering to the auxiliary thawing devices 11 and returning therefrom warm brine or other thawing fluid by connecting pipes 25 and 26 respectively shownare located as desired in the supply headers and connecting pipes.

Systems for circulatlng fluids, as brine, in ice making apparatus including piping, a pump, etc., are well known in the art, and complete systems for circulating freezing fluid and for circulating thawing fluid, in-

eluding1 apparatus for heating the one and for cod ing the other, are illustrated and described in my aforesaid co-pending application, Ser, No. 534,93, and nothing would be gained by duplicating such illustration and description in this application.

In connection with the drainage 'systenr headers 27 connected with the interiors of adjacent molds at or about the water line by pipes 28, which open in the sides of the molds and do not interfere with harvesting. The headers 27 are supplied by a main 30, which is connected to the delivery side of a between the auxiliary thawing devices and :said headers. Valves not necessary to be pump 31, the suction side of which is con i ne'ctedby the pipe 32, to the filter 33, the

filter being connected by the pipe 34 to the suction main 35, and to the common suction connection 36. By this arrangement water and sediment are. drawn from the tank, the I sediment filtered out and the water returned by the pump to the topsof the molds passing down through them to the bottom of the tank.

The flushing pi e? is connected to the I header 27, and va ves 27' and 7 are provided to enable water to be diverted to the flushing pipe when desired.

Instead of the higher water level indicated in the drawings, the water level in the I system may be maintained at or below the top of the freezing zone. In that event the auxiliary thawing devices 11, the auxiliary thawing supply and return headers 23, 24

and their. respective connections 25, 26

would be omitted. The upper part of the mold would also be cut away to apoint just-above the main freezing jacket. This 'is of course simpler and cheaper. I

The tank and 'molds may be'inclosed an insula'tingcahinet 37, which may have. a cover 38. The spaces between the molds may be filled with insulating material or each mold may be. insulated by jacketing or otherwise. One of the advantages-of this 1 system, however, is the fact that there is 1.085 need for insulation than if the molds and pi ping were in the tank, and it will be understood that insulation may be omitted.

As'already suggested, in ice making appara tus where tanks are em loyed the water at the bottom becomes foul y reason of the heavy impurities thrown out by crystallization in the freezing process. To get rid of this sediment I have adopted a drainage system which may be used with a shallowtank as in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 or Witha deep tank as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. These drainage arrangements may as above suggested he used with the delivery devices above described, or this system may be used in addition to distinct circulating apparatus, neither interferingwith the other. In the system shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 water and sediment are removed from the bottom of the tank at opposite sides thereof, the water filtered and returned to the bottom ofthe tank at the center between said sides so as to flush the sediment toward them The course of the water may be reversed and the operation of the apparatus varied as will appear from the following description: is a concrete tank, whose bottom slopes at 51 in both directions from a central portionito gutters 52 at each side. Parallel piers 53 on said bottom extend from planes near said center line to planes near said gutters. The horizontal tops of these piers support molds 54b. Between the opposed inner'ends of the piers is located a delivery or return pipe 55 having slots or perforations 56 located at each side of the pipe above the bottom to' deliver water to the slopes 5'1 of the bottom to flush sediment between the piers toward the gutters 52' In 'these gutters are located large suction pipes 57 having slots or perforations 58 to enable waterand sediment to be drawn into the pipes. These pipes have one end closed as by caps 59 andatthe otherv end of the tank extend up the wall and through openings 60, the suction pipes 57 being dropped and having sections 61 extending to the center where they are joined beneath-the delivery pipe, an ex-- tension 62 of which passes to the filter'63. The suction pipes are thus united into a common pipe 64, which passes down into a sediment trap 65, from which extends .to the suction side of the ump 66, a connect-- ing pipe 67 having within the sediment trap a strainer 68.

The top or inlet end of the filter is connected to the delivery side of the pump by the piping 69, 70. The fresh water supply pipe 71 governed'by the float valve 72 con-' nects with the pipe 69. The pressure in the supply pipeVl is normally greater than the pumping pressure, but to prevent delivery of-water by the pump to said supply pipe under abnormal circumstances a check valve and return headers in parallel, series ar- 73 closahle by excess of pumping pressure 1s located in the pipe 71. Between the pipe 62- and the plpe 67 is a by pass'74. The

sewer 75 is'connected through by-passes, 76 i and 77 with the delivery side of the pump 66 respectlvel valves 62', 6st, 67 69', 74, 76,

H, and. 8, the purpose of which will shortly appear.

The pump will be run whenever the con dition of the tank requires it. When the pump is not running the supply pipe 71 delivers water to the tank automatically by pipe 69, filter 63, pipe 62 and pipe 55, valves 69 and 74 being closed.

When the pump is running in the normal operation of the system, valves 6e, 67, 69 and 6-2 are open and the valves in the varicus Icy-passes are all closed. Water is then drawn into the suction pipes 57, and by pipes 61, 64, trap 65, connection 67 to the pump 66 whence it is forced through pipe 69, filter. 63, pipe 62, and return pipe 55 into the tank flushing the bottom as already, explained.

Fresh water is automatically furnished by this supply pipe 71 whether or not the pump is working. The by-pass 77 permits sediment to be delivered directly from the trap 65 to the sewer 75, and the by-phss 76 from the pump to the sewer, valves 69" and 7 8 being closed in the latter, case.

The by-passes 7e and 78, when their valves 7a and 7 8 are open and valves 62, 64, 67 69 and theother by-pass valves are closed, make it possible to reverse the course of thewa/ter to clean out the suction, pipes and their slots, water being drawn in at the center line of the bottom of the tank to pipe 55,

and thence by pipe 62, by-pass 74, to the pump 66, whence, by pipe 69, by-pass 78,

common suction pipe 64, pipes 61, it passes to the gutter suction pipes 57.

It will be understood that this system including the by-pass features described may be used with the shallow tank arrangement either with the delivery devices to the molds, or'as a separate system for keeping the tank. free from heavy sediment, other circulatory devices being employed to assist in preventing the formation of impure cores. The circulation might be upward through the molds, but the arrangement described is preferred.

The expression open at the top applied to the molds is not meant to imply that they may not have removable covers.

While it-is a very great advantage to conmeet the individual freezing and thawing means for individual molds to the supply rangements, though undesirable, might be used.

The provision of thawin pockets in the bottoms of the molds an their location above the top' of the tank is a valuable feature of the invention. As already suggested the construction is such as to make the molds and most of the service pipes accessible from outside of the tank.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, upright molds open at the top, a common Water supply in communication therewith to automatically fill the same to a predetermined level below their tops, said molds extending outside said Water supply, freezing and thawing means for said molds, and means for automatically controlling said common water supply.

2. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, a plurality of molds located in the atmosphere outside said tank open at the top and in communication therewith at their bottoms, a reservoir in communication with said tank and determining by its water level the water level in the molds, and means for freezing and thawing the contents of the molds.

3. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, molds located in the atmosphere outside said tank but in communication therewith and having their water level determined by that of the tank,

means for freezing and thawing the contents of the molds, an automatically controlled water supply for said tank to maintain a predetermined water level therein, and piping outside said tank for serving said freezing. and thawing means.

4. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, molds outside said tank but in communication therewith and having their water level determined by that of the tank, individual freezing and thawing means surrounding each mold, and piping outside said tank for serving said freezing and thawing means.

Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a. water tank, a plurality of upright molds on top of said tank in communicat-ion therewith at their bottoms, and having a water tight connection with the top thereof, said molds having warm air pockets in their bottoms above the top of the tank, and means for delivering warm air to said pockets. Y

6. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a shallow tank, a plurality of moldslocated on top of said tank and in.

communication at their bottoms therewith, means for freezlng and thawing the contents of the molds, and means for automatically maintaining the water level in said molds above the top of the tank.

for freezing and thawing the contents of said molds.

8. Ice maklng apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank having a closed top, an extension above said top const-ituting a reservoir, a plurality of molds in communication at their bottoms with the their bottoms, said. tank havin tank extending up above the top thereof and having their water level determined by the water level in the extension of the tank, freezing and thawing jackets surrounding individual molds, and piping outside said tank for serving said jacket 9. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, a plurality of upright molds in communication at their bottoms with the tank and having watertight connections with the top thereof, individual freezing and thawing means for said molds, piping for serving said freezing and thawing means located'above the top of the tank and below the tops of the molds, and a reservoir in communication with the tank determining by its water level the water level in the molds.

10. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank havin a closed top, a plurality of upright mol s located thereon and in communication therewith at a head of water sufiicient to fill said mol s to a level above the top of the tank, means for freezing and thawing the contents of said molds, and piping and connections above the tank beside the molds for serving said freezing and thawing means.

11. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a shallow water tank having a closed 't-op, a plurality of rows of molds thereon and in communication therewith at their bottoms, freezing and thawing means forsaid molds, piping and connections outside said'tank and below the tops of the molds for serving said means, and a jet line above the top of the tank for delivering fluid under molds.

12. Ice makin pressure at the bottom of the apparatus comprising in combination, a s allow water tank having a closed top, a pluralityof upright vmolds mounted on the top of said tank open at the top and having a water tight connection with the top of the tank, said molds having transverse bottoms located above the top of the tank and provided with holes where- 7. Ice making apparatus comprising in by they are in communication with the tank means for delivering thawing fluid to thesaid spaces.

3. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a shallow water tank, molds located in the atmosphere on top of said tank in communication at their bottoms with said tank to be automatically filled therefrom and having a water tight connection with the top of the tank, a reservoir in communication with said shallow tank and determining the level of the water in the molds, means for freezing andthawing' the contents of the molds, and automatic means for feeding water to said reservoir to a predetermined level. I 14. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a shallow water .tank having a closed top, molds located in the atmosphere on. top. of said tank havin a water tight connection with the top the .tank and having transverse bottoms above the-top of the tank provided with holes whereby they are in communication with the tank to be automatically filled therefrom, a reservoir in communication with said shallow tank and determining the level of the water in the molds, means for freezing and thawing the contents of the molds, and means for applying thawing fluid to the under side of said transverse bottoms.

15. Ice making apparatuscomprising in combination, a shallow water tank having a closed top, molds located in the atmosphere on top of said tank having "a water tight connection with the top of the tank and "having transverse bottoms above the top of the tank provided with holes whereby theyare in communication with the tank to be automatically filled therefrom, a reservoir in communication with said shallow tank and determining thelevel of the waterclosed top, molds located in the atmosphere onv top cit mark havin a water tight connection with the top -0 the tank and having'transverse bottoms above the top of the tank provided with holes wherebyethey are in communication with'the tank to be automatically filled therefrom, a reservoir in communication [with said shallow tank and determining the level of the water in the molds, shells depending from the bottomsand surrounding said holes and formmg open bottomed air trapping spaces beneath the bottoms of the molds, means for freezing and thawing the contents of said molds, an air line located in the atmosphere above the top of the tank, and devices for deliveri air therefrom to the said spaces beneath t e bottoms of-the molds.

17.. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a shallow water tank having a closed top, molds located in the atmosphere on top of said tankhaving a water tight connection with the top of the tank and having transverse bottoms above the top of the tank provided with holes whereby they are in communication with the tank to be automatically filled therefrom, a reservoir in communication with said shallow tank and determining the level of the water in the molds, shells depending from the bottomsand surrounding said holes and forming open bottom air trapping spaces beneath the bottoms of the molds, means for freezing and thawing the contents of said 7 molds, an air line located in the atmosphere: above the top of the. tank, devlces for delivering thawing fluid to the said spaces beneath the bottoms of the molds, and automatic means for feeding water to said reser voir to a predetermined level. r 18. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a common water supply, aplurality of upright molds located in the atmosphere' and in commun cation at their bottoms with said supply, said moldshaving warm air pockets in their bottoms, and means for delivering warm air to said pockets. 7

19.1ce making apparatus comprising in combination, a common water supply, a plurality of upright molds extending outs de said water supply and in communicatlon at their bottoms therewith, freezing and thawing means for said molds, said molds having "transverse bottoms provided with holes and having shells surrounding said holes and walls surrounding said shells, sald' shells and walls having a watertight coni nection with said bottom and forming w1t h the bottoms of the molds water sealed air trapping pockets beneath the molds and dlstinct from said freezing and thawing means,

and means for delivering warm air to said pockets.

2Q. Ice making apparatus com rising in combination, a water tank, ncl s openyat the tap and in communication therewith, a water header, connections between the mteriors of individual molds at the wall of the mold at substantially the water line and said header, a pump, a filter, and connections between said pump, filter, tank, and

pump.

. liver water to sai 22. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank having a closed top, an extension above said top constituting a reservoir, a plurality of molds in communication at their bottoms with the tank extending up above the top thereof and having their water level determined by the water level in the extension of the tank,

and a circulatory system comprising a pump,

a filter, a water header, connections between the interiors of individual molds adjacent their tops and said header, and a connection with the tank below the molds.

23. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, molds in combination therewith, water supply piping for delivering water to the interior of said molds adjacent their tops, a flushing water pipe adjacent the bottom of the tank, a pump having its delivery side connected to said water supply piping, a filter connected to said suction piping and to the inlet side of. said pump, a by-pass leading from said water supply piping between said pump and the molds to the flushing pipe, and a valve in said by-pass.

24. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a tank, means for flushing the bottom of the tank, meansv for receiving sediment from the bottom of the tank, a filter, a pump and connections between the parts specified constituting a circulatory system to enable the pump to withdraw water and sediment from said tank, filter the same and return the water to the tank.

25. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a tank having a sloping botopenings therein to deslope to flush the same, a pipe adjacent the lower end of said tom, a pipe havin I slope to receive water and sediment, a filter,

a pump, and connections between the receivlng pipe and the filter, bet-weenthe filter and the pump and between the pump and the delivery pipe, constituting a circulatory system.

26. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a tank having a bottom slanting in both directions from an intermediate portion, a water delivery pipe running along said portion and provided with means to deliver water under pressure adjacent both said slopes, a suction pipe at the foot of each slope and means comprising a pump, filter and connections to withdraw Water and sediment from said tank through said suction pipes, to remove the sediment and return the water to the said delivery pipe and tank.

27. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, a delivery pipe to said tank, a suctionpipe in said tank, a pump connected to both said pipes, a bypass from the delivery side of the pump to the suction pipe, a by-pa'ss from the inlet side of the pump to the delivery pipe, and valves controlling the system to reverse the course of the water at pleasure.

28. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a tank, a Water delivery pipe adjacent the bottom of the tank, a suction pipe adjacent the bottom of the tank. a pump, connections between the suction side of the pump and saidsuction pipe and between the delivery side of the pump and said water delivery pipe, a filter in the connections between the delivery side of the pump and the water delivery pipe, :1 bypass between the delivery side of the pump and the sewer and valves in said by-pass. and connections.

29. Ice making apparatus comprising in combination, a water tank, a pipe adjacent the bottom of the tank for flushing the same, a suction pipe also adjacent the bottom of the tank, a sediment trap connected to said suction pipe, a pump, connections between the suction side of the pump and the sediment trap and between the delivery side of the pump and the flushing pipe, a by-pass between the trap and the sewer, and valves for controlling said connections and byass.

Signed by me at borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, this 29th day of June, 1910.

EDWARD T. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

HARRY T. BERNHARD, J on}: WATT. 

